God Of War: Remnant
by ChaosEater69
Summary: Before the battle can be won, Zeus opens a portal and manages to send Kratos to an unknown world. Confused, wounded, and without weapons, Kratos finds himself in the world of Remnant. What new dangers and wonders will the former God of War find in this world of magic, monsters, and technology? Will he become Remnants new hero or shall he destroy this world as well?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! So, before anyone gets mad at me, I know I've been slacking on writing and I know I've been off the radar a while. Somethings have been happening and my internet access is limited to put it mildly. But, I'm making an effort to get some writing done. Also, I've been going over the reviews for the story and I've realized that some of you are right. I fell into several traps and cliches with this story and I've decided to rework it. The new version shall take place somewhere in RWBY: season 4. I hope you all will like the new version and I hope to have new chapters up soon. Again, I don't know why I feel like I need to explain why this is rated M but, this is rated M because of graphic violence, as one would expect from GOW, and maybe some lemons later on. Also, I do NOT own "God of War" or "RWBY".**

GOD OF WAR: Remnant

Chapter 1

Mount Olympus, Zeus' throne room.

Kratos pulls back his blades and rolls to avoid another of Zeus' blasts of lightning. As he comes back onto his feet he charges the elderly God again, twirling his flaming blades so that he can bring them down on his pathetic father. Despite his powerful appearance, and being the king of the Olympian Gods, Zeus is no different than the other Gods Kratos has killed already: weak and self-absorbed. Even his grandfather, Kronos, had been a more difficult challenge than the so called, almighty Zeus.

Zeus raises his arms and blocks the scorching blades with his golden vambraces, grunting from the effort to keep himself upright as he son bears down with his Blades of Exile. Already the God is bruised and bloody, having been stabbed, cut, and blasted by his son. He knew long ago that Kratos was worthy to be the God of War, but he now he knows that Kratos has the power to do what Ares would have never been able to: destroy him and all of Olympus.

"Give this up, Zeus! Your time has come. I have already killed the other Gods of Olympus, only you remain!" Kratos roars as he thrusts his knee into Zeus' stomach, causing the old God to cough up blood. Just before Kratos can bring his blades around again, Zeus flashes himself to the other side of the throne room. As he reappears he glances around the once pristine room that he ruled the world from, now laid to ruin, littered with rubble and fragments of the weapons Kratos had acquired along his mission to destroy him. The once beautiful statues and tapestries that decorated the marble and gold room were nothing but shredded pieces, just like his family. And they were not the only ones; because the deaths of the other Gods, the world has crumbled back into chaos, the forces of nature running rampant without the Gods to keep them leashed. Everything Kratos touches turns to ash, just like the ashes of his family that now stain the Spartan's skin. Zeus looks at his son now, the monster that once served him and the Gods. The conquer of Death and Time. Zeus glares at his son, now knowing what he must do.

"Coward! Face me you bastard! Face your demise!" Kratos yells, the flames that surround his blades flashing brighter. Zeus conjures up the remainder of his power, his hands becoming enveloped in lighting.

"It is time to end this, my son. Your journey has come to an end!" Zeus says, his eyes beginning to glow has his powers swell.

"You honestly believe you can defeat me?! Look around you, father! I have killed Gods and Titans alike. I have thrown back the hands of Death, broken the walls of Time, and brought Olympus down around you!" Kratos roars as he steps towards Zeus, slowly, his golden eyes burning with the raw hatred that has filled him for so long. Zeus focus' all his remaining power into his right hand, the overflowing energy causing lightning to strike out around him. Kratos brings up his Golden Fleece, ready to block and return any attack that Zeus may strike him with, but is confused when Zeus turns and releases the attack at the crumbling wall behind him. As the blast strikes the wall, a ring of blue lightning spreads out from the contact point, leaving behind it a vortex of blue light and darkness.

"You are right, Kratos. Time and even Death have not been enough to hold you, I will admit that. But I _am_ the King of Olympus! And I shall not be defeated by any mortal, especially not one that shares my blood!" Zeus states in the unwavering tone of the King of the Gods. Kratos lets out another beastly roar as he charges at his father again, ready to take the God's head. Just as Kratos comes into range he brings his first blade around, aiming for Zeus' throat. Zeus steps in and grabs Kratos by the wrist before the blade can reach him and takes Kratos by the throat with his other hand. Using his last ounce of strength and the momentum from Kratos' charge, he lifts Kratos up and over him, sending the demigod flying toward the portal he had opened.

Kratos curses in outrage as he flies through the air, but does not accept it; he will never accept anything the Gods throw at him until they are all dead. Twisting in midair, Kratos throws both his blades back towards his father. The fatigue finally hitting the weakened God, Zeus cannot stop the attack as both of the burning blades pierce his body. He cries out as the blades jerk and hook into his flesh as Kratos his pulled into the vacuum of the portal. Kratos grasps onto the chains of his blades as the portal tries to pull him into its maw, the swirling vortex gapping like the mouth of Charybdis.

"Hear me, Zeus! This portal will not take me! I will not stop, I will not falter, I will not rest until you are dead!" Kratos roars as Zeus holds onto the blades, trying not to be pulled in after his son. Zeus raises his hand and calls out to the portal with his mind.

"Forgive me, my son, for you shall never find rest." Zeus whispers as he closes his fist, causing the portal to close, the clipped chains of Kratos' blades clattering to the floor.

Remnant, Unknown forest.

Kratos slowly opens his eyes and is blinded by the rays of light that peak through the tree cover. He slowly pushes himself up into a sitting position, his body aching in multiple places. He looks down at his body which is covered with wounds from his battle with Zeus, but he notices new wounds as well. He also notices that he is covered with small twigs and leaves; looking up, he sees where there are several broken branches in the tree directly above him. _I fell_ , he thinks to himself. Ignoring the pain all over his body, he pushes himself up to his feet and takes in his surroundings: a small clearing surrounded by nothing but woods and greenery, but that is not what confuses him. He looks up to where the sun is peaking through the branches of the forest trees.

After he killed the God Helios, the sun had disappeared behind an eternal storm, yet here it shines again. "Where did you send me, Zeus?" Kratos growls aloud. It is obvious that he is no longer in Greece, possibly not even in his own world being that it was laid to ruin with the death of the Gods. "Come Zeus! Face me! I grow tired of your pathetic games!" Kratos yells, hoping to excite the God's anger. However, his taunt is answer by something moving through the brush behind him.

Kratos turns to face the threat, a massive, black creature rushing toward him; its large, trunk like limbs flailing wildly. Kratos rolls to avoid its attack and reaches over his shoulder for his blades, only to find them gone. He then glances down to his feet where the chains of his blades hang with a few feet slithering along the ground. He growls as he turns to face his attacker, not caring whether he has weapons or not.

The creature confuses Kratos as it turns to face him. Kratos stares at the strange creature; reminding him of a wolf, the beast stands on two legs like a man, growling and baring its teeth. Kratos had faced monsters like this, half human and half beast, but none of them seemed to have armor that protruded from their bodies like this one, and none of them had the same, burning eyes that this creature has. The eyes do not glow with fire or magic, but malice, as if the beast has come for revenge against Kratos for some unknown betrayal.

The beast lets off a roar as it charges him again, running on all fours. Kratos rushes forward as well, ducks down, and tackles the creature. Using all his strength, Kratos carries the flailing beast backwards and throws it to the ground before jumping on top of it. The creature howls in anger as it swipes its claws back and forth in protest but Kratos gives no mercy as he straddles the beast and begins to rain blow after blow on the creature's chest. After several blows, Kratos hears the satisfying sound of bones breaking and his hands become coated in blood. Kratos slams his fist down again and again till, to his surprise, his fist sinks into the creature's body. Jumping back in surprise, he watches as the carcass begins to disintegrate, leaving nothing behind except the blood from Kratos' attacks. Kratos scowls in confusion before he hears it: more growling.

He turns to find more creatures, just like the first, coming out from the brush. Three more wolf-beasts, and a fourth one; only this one is much larger and reminds him of a bear. Just like the wolves, this new creature also has bone-like armor, along with large bone-spines that protrude from the creature's back. The wolves are the first to attack him, swinging their large claws and lunging to bite him. Kratos doesn't miss a step as he swings one of his chains around to bat one of them away, the beast howling in pain as the chain bloodies its maw and breaks some of its teeth. The other two attack in unison and Kratos docks their attack before closing in on them. Grabbing the closest of the wolves he swings the beast around and swings it into its companion, knocking them both to the ground. He rushes toward them before they can regain their footing and lays one of them down with his fist. Before it can recover, he grabs hold of the creature's head and twists it with all his strength till he hears a loud _CRACK_ and the creature goes limp. Just as he lets the creature's body fall to the ground, he feels the massive paw of the bear slam into his back, the force lifting him off his feet and sending him several feet across the clearing.

Kratos hits the dirt ground hard but doesn't hesitate before he rolls with the force and lands back on his feet. He feels the burning pain in his back, no doubt laid open by the creature's large claws, but he does not think twice about it. Zeus and the other Gods had sent plenty of terrifying beasts to kill him and these new creatures will die the same way the others had: in pieces. Kratos lets out a blood thirst roar as he charges at the bear-creature, his clipped chains swinging at his sides. The bear roars at it lumbers forward to attack him as well. As the creature swings its mace-like paws to attack him, Kratos latches on to the creature's arm and uses all his strength to flip the beast onto its back, the beast roaring as the bone-spines on its back are snapped by its weight. A shiver goes up Kratos' spine and turns to meet the remaining wolves as the lunge for him. He drives his fist into the first creature's lower jaw in a fierce uppercut and then slams the other wolf away with his other fist. He then swings one of his chains and wraps it around the first wolf's throat, pulls the beast in close and lifts it over his head. He turns to see the bear has rolled back on to its feet and slams the wolf down onto the bears now jagged spines, knocking the bear back down to the ground as the wolf gives a painful howl before disintegrating on the bear's spines.

Not giving the bear any time to recover Kratos leaps on to the bears back, using the wolf's semi-decayed body to avoid the spines. As the creature pushes itself up again, Kratos jumps and brings his fist down on the back of the creature's armor-less neck. The creature lets out another roar as it falls to the ground again and immediately tries to push itself back up. Without hesitation, Kratos kicks on of the bears paws and knocks it back to the ground as he seizes the massive head with both arms and starts to pull upward. The beast tries to resist, jerking and flailing as Kratos continues to pulls at the beast's head. Kratos soon hears the familiar sound of flesh straining before the creature's head begins to rip away from its body. Kratos' arms become soaked in the creature's blood as the creature's head comes free from its body and he lets off a roar of triumph before slamming the severed head on the disintegrating carcass.

The remaining wolf charges at Kratos again, its gaping jaws showing several broken teeth as blood drips from its mouth. Kratos swings one of his chains upward and smacks the creature's head upward before swinging the other to incircle the creature's throat. Growling in anger, he pulls the creature towards him before laying into the creature's face with his fist. He continues to jerk the creature toward him, punches it away, and then jerks it toward him again multiple times, spraying himself with blood every time he hits the creature. Finally, he jerks the creature down to where it falls at his feet. He places his foot on the creature's bloody, crumbled maw as he takes hold of the coiled chain and jerks upward with a roar of victory, ripping the chain through the creature's flesh and bone.

"Feel the wrath of the God of War!" Kratos yells to the skies, his adrenaline rushing through his veins, but his victory is short lived when his vision becomes clouded. He looks around in a daze before he realizes that he's falling to the ground. He catches himself on his hands and knees, not sure as to why he feels so weak, only that he feels exhausted and a chill as set into his skin. He hears a faint rustling of leaves and he looks in its direction to see a new figure step into the clearing, a person dressed in red. He tries to push himself back to his feet but only manages to push himself onto his knees before he falls onto his back. The last thing he sees is the sunlight shining through the trees before everything fades to black.


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope everyone likes the newer version. Hopefully it will be a little more interesting. I know some people were wanting to see Kratos go drill sergeant on the RWBY cast, I have plans for that, just be patient.**

Chapter 2

Branwen Tribe camp, Anima

Raven Branwen steps into the medical tent of her camp, her second in command, Vernal, stepping beside her as they enter the dimly lit interior. Inside, the tent are several cots laid out along the walls of the tent, all of them empty, except for one. At the very end of the tent, in one of the very last cots, slept Raven's latest interest: the ashen warrior. After he passed out from his injuries, she opened a portal to Vernal back at their camp, who then helped her carry him into their camp.

"Are you sure it is okay to keep him here? You heard what the medic said; this man is dangerous." Vernal says, staring down at the sleeping warrior.

"I know he is. I saw him in action before he passed out. He killed several Grim with nothing more than his bare hands and those chains he had. This man is a warrior, and from his scars you can tell he's been one for a very long time." Raven says, admiring the scars that mark his marble skin, especially the large one that marks his abdomen. Something had pierced his body, something large, and he survived it somehow. Even sleeping and wounded, Raven can sense his power, and to someone who values power the way Raven does, it is irresistible.

With their stolen medical technology, the medic had compiled a vague medical history. As Raven had guessed, this man had a long history of battle and violence; his body holding not only extensive external but internal scars as well. The medic had also been able to treat the wounds on his back, along with removing the chains from his forearms: a difficult task being that they had been seared into his flesh.

"I'm still not sure, Raven. How do we know this guy won't try to kill us, too? Obviously, we'll kill him but I'm convinced he'll deal plenty of damage before then." Vernal says, her guard raised high where this stranger is concerned. In the back of her mind, Raven has the same concern. She doesn't doubt she could kill him, but if he faced off with some of her underlings beforehand he would make short work of them.

"Don't worry, Vernal. I think our friend here will give us a chance. After all, we did save his life. All we need to do is let the wolf lick his wounds. Soon, he'll be eating out of the palm of our hands." Raven says. Though she would never show it, she doubts her words ever so slightly.

* * *

 _"Father, no!"_

 _"Kratos, why? Why would you do this to us?"_

 _"I shall end your suffering, my son, but your torment has only begun!"_

Kratos' eyes burst open as he lurches forward to sit up right, his skin soaked in sweat. He quickly dismisses the nightmares that haunted his sleep, as they had for so long now. He quickly takes in his surroundings: a dimly lit tent with several beds lining the walls. An infirmary if the Spartan had ever seen one. Kratos also notices that his body is wrapped in bandages and that his chains have been removed from his arms.

Not wanting to sit and wait for whoever had saved him, Kratos throws back the sheet that covers his naked body, ties the sheet around his waist and heads towards the end of the as he is about to throw open the tent, someone stumbles into the dimly tent, causing Kratos to bring himself down into an offensive stance, ready to face the newcomer…till his eyes focus and he sees the creature that stepped into the tent.

It was obviously an old man, his grey-white hair swooping back away from his wrinkled face, his eyes covered by an optical device Kratos doesn't recognize. His clothing is also strange: garments of dark cloth and leather. The old man also has several straps hanging from his shoulders and his waist that hold instruments Kratos has never seen. He also doesn't miss the metal walking stick he holds in his left hand and the metal spike that extends from his right knee in place of his leg.

The old man regards Kratos with a curious turn of his head before removing the device from his eyes, revealing a pair of green eyes that seem to scan Kratos like an object he's trying to identify.

"Well now, didn't expect you to be up so quickly." The old man says simply as he steps further into the tent, Kratos relaxing as he realizes the man means him no harm; not that the old man could harm Kratos. "Come now, let me see those wounds of yours." The old man says as Kratos steps aside for the old man to pass him, his walking stick and prosthetic leg clicking on the wooden floor of the tent.

"My wounds are of none of your concern." Kratos says coldly. The old man stops with a soft cackle.

"So, you're one of those, huh? 'I don't need a doctor. I'm a strong, young man. I'm invulnerable!'," the man laughs as he turns to continue back down to the end of the tent. "Well, I can't make you get looked at if you don't want to be. But, I can't let you go around naked as the day you were born." The old man walks over to a chest in one of the back corners and taps on it with his stick. "There's some clothes in here for you. I'd suggest you wear them before you go out." Kratos eyes the man suspiciously as he steps back down to the opposite end of the tent. While he's not against walking nude, he would prefer to be clothed. He opens the chest to find garments similar to the old man's: a black garment for his upper body and leather trousers, along with a pair of leather greaves. Kratos doesn't waste time as he dresses, not caring about the old man's presence.

"Glad they fit," the old man says as Kratos finishes dressing. "Well, we should hurry, the boss said to bring you once you were awake," the old man says as he steps towards the entrance of the tent.

"I have no need to speak to your leader," Kratos says bitterly as he follows the old man towards the entrance. He laughs at Kratos' harsh tone again.

"Believe me, young man, no one says no to the leader of the Branwen Tribe. Have you not heard of us?" the old man asks curiously. Kratos raises a brow at the strange man, not sure how he should answer. In his own world, his name was known far and wide, feared by all, especially by the Gods.

"I am not from these lands," Kratos says, deciding it best to keep his origins private. The less attention drawn to him the better. The old man nods as he throws back the flap of the tent to reveal the outside. Kratos steps out into the sunlight; seeing the tall, wooden spires that make up the camps perimeter with a single, large wooden gate; multiple tents that line the inside of the fence with many individuals walking amongst them. Kratos eyes the strange individuals that walk by, each of them dressed in similar clothing as him and the old man.

"Well, a word of caution. Our leader doesn't appreciate being taken for granted. Plus, it was her who saved from dying. If not for her, you'd be dead out in the forest somewhere. So, the least you could do would be spare her a moment of your time." The old man says with a snide grin. Kratos growls at the old man's words, but decides to take this in stride. This way, he could get some answers about where he is. The old man laughs again before he waves Kratos to follow him.

"By the way, I'm the Tribe's doctor; if you haven't already guessed that. Just call me 'Doc'. Everyone else calls me that." He says as he hobbles along towards the largest of the tents in the camp, set up opposite of the entrance. Standing outside of the large tent is a young woman: softly tanned skin, blue eyes, and the mark of a bird etched onto her left arm. She eyes Kratos with a little surprise as she watches him step up onto the wooden platform that makes up the floor of the tent.

"I see our guest is finally awake." She says, eyeing Kratos worriedly. Kratos eyes her with little care, only taking note of the large, circular blades that are holstered on her hips.

"Yep. He's a tough one. Wouldn't even let me check his wounds when he got up." Doc says, shaking his head in an old-man-fashion. The woman takes another moment to look at Kratos, scanning him for any hostile intent. Kratos doesn't react to her suspicion; not wanting her to know just how much of a threat he could be in case the need presents itself.

"Well, Raven has been waiting for you to wake up. This way," the woman says, waving Kratos to follow her into the tent. Kratos steps forward, leaving Doc to take his leave as well.

The inside of the tent is spacious, a sitting area with a four, padded seats arranged in a square, a table with several maps hung on stands surrounding it, an area that resembles a work station with several tools Kratos doesn't recognize, and several other comforts. However, what truly holds Kratos' interest is the woman standing by the table surrounded by maps.

"Raven, our guest is awake," the woman says. Her leader turns at the sound of her voice. Dressed in her red and black robes, Kratos finds Raven beautiful almost as beautiful as Aphrodite. However, while Aphrodite inspired arousal, Raven is beautiful in the same as a lioness: her movements slow and calculated, her eyes showing a level of intrigue and wisdom, and the way she grasps the strange sword on her hip, seemingly relaxed and yet ready to strike, not only demands Kratos' interest, it earns his respect.

Raven's red eyes slowly look over the ashen-skinned warrior, admiring the strength that seems to flow from his being, the power that seems to resonate from him is enough to make her hair stand on end. She approaches him slowly, the corners of her lips slowly turning up in a smile.

"I'm glad to see you awake." A shiver goes up Kratos' spine at the sound of her voice, the sound reminding him of a serpent: soothing and yet threatening at the same time. But Kratos does not lose his resolve. He's met many women, human and otherwise, like this one and the Spartan will not fall to her any easier than he had the others.

"Why did you bring me here?" Kratos asks, not wishing to remain here any longer than necessary. A short laugh escapes Raven's lips.

"You are very untrusting. I admire that. Vernal," Raven says to the woman who escorted Kratos into the tent. "Why don't you give me and our friend here some privacy?" Vernal gives Raven a questioning look, but Raven nods and the woman sighs in defeat as she turns and leaves. Raven walks over to one of the cushioned seats in the center of the tent, gesturing Kratos to join her and she takes a seat. "To answer your question, I brought you here because you intrigue me," Raven says as Kratos takes a seat across from her.

"I am not some insect to be toyed with, woman." Kratos growls, his golden eyes seeming to glow with his anger. Raven raises a hand in apology.

"And I don't see you as one. What intrigues me is your strength. I saw the scars that marked your body. A normal person wouldn't be alive from the injuries you've obviously sustained. I admire your strength. But more than that, I'm intrigued by how it is you came to be in those woods." Kratos eyes Raven again with distrusting eyes.

"I owe you no explanations." Kratos says coldly. Raven just continues to look at him, her lips still curved in the same cold, sinister smile.

"This is true. Which is why I propose a trade: information for information, question for question. You ask me any question you want, and I will answer it so long as you answer one of mine." Kratos sneers at the ebony haired woman.

"I have no time for these games. Stop wasting my time, woman." Kratos growls, his patience growing thin.

"I don't think it's a waste. It would be very difficult for someone from another world to survive in this one." Raven says simply. Kratos, brow goes up at the unexpected statement.

"How do you know I am not of this world?" Raven's smile grows into more of a grin.

"Because normal people do not fall from holes torn into the sky."

"You saw me fall?" Kratos asks and Raven nods.

"Yes, I also saw you kill those Grim, as well as heard you shouting to the sky at someone named Zeus, and deduced that you would very much like to harm them." Raven gets up from her seat and goes to a chest set by a nearby support beam. She opens it and pulls out the Golden Fleece, along with the greaves of Hermes. Kratos watches in surprise, having forgotten completely about the equipment that had come with him to this world. Raven offers the gear back to Kratos and he accepts it. "There, let this be a peace offering. So, will you accept my offer?" Raven asks as she takes her seat again, her scarlet eyes full of sincerity. Kratos searches her face for even the slightest hint of betrayal, but finds none. Growling begrudgingly, nods his head once; accepting her proposal.

"Very well," Raven replies, giving Kratos a satisfied smile.

The two go back and forth for what seems like hours, giving brief explanations of what each other wants to know, using their own vagueness as a means to push the other to give more information. In the process of their game, Kratos ambiguously describes how he was born in Sparta, sworn himself to the god Ares before the former god of War betrayed him, causing Kratos to kill the god in turn and then later being betrayed by Zeus only to attempt to kill the god king as well.

"How did they betray you?" Raven asks for one of her questions. Kratos grits his teeth at the bitter memory of his family.

"Ask something else," the Spartan says bitterly, his tone revealing to Raven that whatever Ares had done it had definitely been acrimonious. So much so that it drove a mortal to kill the immortal. Raven's curiosity screams for more information, but decides to spare the Spartan and moves on from the topic.

As Kratos answered Raven's questions, Raven obscurely describes multiple aspects of Remnant: Grimm, Dust, her tribe, and even describes her world's technology and weapons; something that catches Kratos' interest when she describes firearms and transformation weapons.

"I've grown tired of this game." Kratos says after having his fill of the woman's presence. He pushes himself to his feet, intending to leave the tent. Raven quickly gets to her feet, catching Kratos' attention.

"Where do you intend to go?" Raven asks, her tone suggesting curiosity rather than concern.

"Wherever I wish, woman," Kratos says bitterly, turning towards the exit.

"I'll warn you, Kratos. I don't know of anyone or anything in this world that can open portals to other worlds," Raven says matter-of-factly. "However, I think someone like you would fit right at home here." Kratos sneers at the woman, not caring to hear her any more of her offers. Without replying he storms off towards the exit. When he comes within arm's reach of the tent, something small and black dashes across his view. He jumps back as the small, black creature: a bird he realizes, circles him and then flies back into the interior of the tent. As it rounds one of the support beams of the tent, Raven appears on the other side, tossing her hair as she turns to approach him. Kratos eyes the woman with more caution, seeing that this woman has much more power than he previously thought.

"I'm a reasonable woman, Kratos. I won't keep you here if you don't wish to remain. But should you choose to stay, I promise you that I will make it worth your time." Raven says with an alluring tone. Kratos growls at the red-clad woman again, her games quickly lighting his anger.

"I have no time for your trifles, woman! I must return to my world and finish what I started. Zeus has betrayed me for the last time, and he shall pay with his life." Raven can feel the heat from the Spartan's rage as he his golden eyes blaze with the thought of vengeance.

"And I encourage your vengeance. But with so little knowledge of this world, you could spend two lifetimes searching and never find it, Kratos." Raven steps towards the ashen warrior slowly, tentatively taking each step as if it would set off an explosion if done incorrectly. "Stay here, Kratos. If you will join my tribe, I will search for you." Kratos' brow shifts at her offer. "I have informants in every continent, in every major city. If there is a way to travel between worlds, one of them will be able to find a lead. And once they do, I will assist you in returning to your world, and your vengeance will be fulfilled." Kratos eyes the raven-haired woman for a long time. The idea of being someone else's pawn, again, is enough to make the Spartan sick. The only time he had never been betrayed had been by his fellow Spartans. Only his kinsmen had ever proven their loyalty to him. Kratos' initial thought is to tell Raven to go to Tartarus and rot, but her words echo through his mind. This is not the world he knows, and while Raven had explained some subjects to him, the Spartan isn't naïve enough to believe there isn't much more to this world.

Kratos steps towards Raven till he can feel her breathing on his chest, the top of her head only coming to the bottom of his chin. He stares down at her, his golden eyes filled with a bitter coldness that would be enough to scare the most fearless of men.

Raven looks up and meets his glare with an unaffected stare, one that is a complete façade. Raven has faced many warriors, beasts and villains, none of them inspiring even the slightest bit of fear in her. This was not one of those times. From what Kratos told her, his world had no knowledge of Auras or Semblance, but if they had Raven is sure that Kratos' would be enough to chill her to the bone. The shear, violent persona the Spartan exudes is so intense it is almost tangible, but Raven does not falter. She meets the Spartan's glare without showing her fear, without showing anything but a slight curiosity as to what his answer will be.

"I have no intensions of becoming a pawn to someone else again. I will stay, and in exchange, you shall help me find a way to return to my world. But know this, Raven," the Spartan's voice turns rough and bitter. "If I believe, even for the briefest of moments, that you have betrayed me, I will not rest until I have torn the head from your shoulders." Raven will never admit it, but the Spartan's words scare her straight to her core.

"That will not be an issue, Kratos. This tribe is my family, and I will never betray my family. As long as you are a part of my tribe, I will never betray you." She says, her words sincere. The Spartan nods, accepting her answer suspiciously. Raven extends her hand to him, wanting to seal the agreement. Kratos grasps her arm firmly and she does the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Branwen Tribe Camp, Anima.

Kratos fires the rifle again, shattering another bottle at the three-hundred-meter mark. Vernal whistles as Kratos ejects the magazine and places it on the wooden table beside him. "I've never seen anyone learn to shoot so quickly. It took me over a week to shoot that well." The blue-eyed girl says as she crosses her arms, eyeing the Spartan with both envy and satisfaction.

It has been two days since Kratos had agreed to stay with the Branwen Tribe. In that time Kratos had surprised and awed many of the Tribe members. Raven had made a spectacle of him, announcing his presence to the camp; something he would have argued against but she had done so before he could protest. In that time, the rest of the tribe became very interested in the ashen-skinned warrior. He was quickly challenged by several of the stronger members of Raven's subordinates. They sparred with padded sticks inside a circle of onlookers, Raven and Vernal watching from her perch on the wooden foundation of her tent.

Kratos faced three different challengers on the first day, and hadn't been challenged since. He had beaten all three fairly quickly: the first one had foolishly given him a "free shot", which Kratos had used to send the fool flying over the onlookers' heads with one hit. The second had taken his challenge more seriously, doing his best to avoid Kratos' attacks directly. Kratos, however, has faced similar and craftier enemies and had quickly grappled with the wiry man before tossing him over the crowd as well, right on top of the first challenger. The third challenger had been a well-muscled female, one that possessed a power, a Semblance, that allowed her to send a pulse of power through her strikes. This had surprised Kratos, but he recovered quickly before beating her down before also sending her flying.

The crowd had cheered for their new comrade, glad to have a new, powerful companion in their mist. Kratos, however, was uninterested in the tribe's acceptance. To Kratos, the members of Raven's tribe only see him as a tool, despite their respect for his strength. Raven called these people her family, but he can tell that this is much like a pack of wolves: the strong live to eat and the weak are left to die. Kratos can respect this, it is similar to the Spartan way of life, but the Spartans believed in duty, discipline. To Kratos, this tribe is nothing more than a band of thieves and cut-throats connected only by their sense of survival.

Over the next two days, Raven and Vernal took Kratos under their wing as they taught the Spartan about their weapons and technology, especially firearms. The Spartan took to the weapons with a vigorous interest, but at the same time found the weapons tedious; preferring weapons that do not jam or run out of bullets, but Kratos does respect the weapons for their capabilities and thus practiced with them till he came to be proficient. Something he did with surprising speed.

"Spartans are accustomed to combat. Weapons come naturally to us," Kratos says simply as he clears the weapon and places in on the table with the empty magazines. Vernal _tsks_ at Kratos' tone, taking his statement as a boast.

"So, what? Were you trained to fight from the time you could walk, or something?" Vernal asks mockingly, as if she were reciting something she had heard before.

"Yes," Kratos says simply as he turns to look at the dark-haired woman, his tone and uninterested glare telling her that he wasn't boasting, something that surprises her.

"Just how committed to combat are you Spartans?" Vernal asks in a disturbed tone.

"Spartans are bred for war. If a child is born sickly, or disfigured, they are discarded. If they cannot conform and learn to be warriors, they are cast out into the wilderness either to become stronger or to die." Kratos says with a coldness that terrifies Vernal. She stares at Kratos for a few seconds as if he is a monster, the horrific images brought to her mind almost sickening. She then shakes her head and turns away from him, as if she can't bring herself to look at him for another moment.

"I think we've trained enough for the day," she pulls out her Scroll to check the time before sliding it back into the leather carrier on her belt. "Let's head back to camp." Kratos says nothing as he gathers up the magazines, the weapon, and the foldable table before following Vernal back to the camp.

As they approach the gate, the two posted guards stop them. "Raven said she wanted to see you two when you got back," said one of the guards, a snaggle-toothed, bearded man by the name of Mackle. Vernal nods as Kratos passes their equipment off to the other guard and the two make their way to Raven's tent. Inside, they find the red-clad tribe leader standing over her map table. She turns to face them as they enter, a smile curling her lips as they approach her.

"Good training session?" she asks, crossing her arms over her chest as they approach her.

"Insightful," Vernal says in the same disturbed tone, which causes Raven to give her a questioning look, which Vernal answers by shaking her head with a heavy sigh.

"Very well. Moving on, I have a mission for you, Kratos." Kratos arches an irritated brow at the raven-haired woman.

"I told you before, Raven. I am not a dog for you to command." Kratos says, his words dripping with venom. Raven's composure retains against Kratos' harshness while Vernal's hands instinctively inch towards the chakram blades on her hips. Raven then gives Kratos a playful half-smile.

"I know, Kratos. But, since you're staying with us and accepting our hospitality it is only fair that you pull a little weight around here while you stay." Raven says in a more suggestive tone, hoping to ease the Spartan's mood. Kratos' guard does not drop around the crimson-eyed raider, but he does leash his hostility; at least or the moment. Kratos then crosses his arms over his chest and Raven nods. She approaches the Spartan as she pulls out a Scroll, one of the few pieces of technology Raven and Vernal have introduced him to. Raven hands the holographic device to him, an image of a map on the screen. Kratos examines the image carefully, the map seeming to describe a facility of some kind.

"This is Ursa Fang Mine, one of the Schnee Dust Company's largest Dust mines in this region. We've been scoping it out for a while now, getting an idea of the defenses. In short, the place is a fortress. The Schnee Dust Company is known for their security measures." Raven explains as Kratos examines the map. To the best of his knowledge, the mine seemed to be set at the base of a large mountain face with a wall surrounding the facility. Kratos drags his finger across the screen to cycle through the images. The wall surrounding the facility is a large, stone barrier with sentries stationed on regular intervals, as well as at the main gate. The rest of the images showed the personnel inside the facility: guards, leadership, the workers seeming to be completely made up of Faunus. The last images showed a small group of four individuals. Raven steps around to stand beside Kratos so that she can see the image as well.

"These four are mercenaries, hired by the manager of the mine," Raven says as she points to one of the four in the image: a tall, overly muscled man with swirling tattoos going down his exposed shoulders and arms. "This man is called Ebon. From what we know, he used to be a solider before he was court-martialed for killing some of his leaders. He escaped and has lived as a gun-for-hire ever since. He's strong, but so are you." Raven says as she points swipes at the screen, showing another image of the individuals: a pale-skinned woman with sickly green hair that is spiked and cut into a long mohawk. "This one is Mistra Emblem. She's lived on the streets her entire life, grew up amongst street gangs and other hoodlums. She's dangerous and sporadic, don't underestimate her." Raven points to the other person in the image: a Faunus woman with what look like antennae coming out of her forehead and short, bronze colored hair that ends just above her shoulders. "That is Vespa Mandarina, a hornet Faunus. She's known for being ruthless, even to other Faunus. You should watch out for the stingers that are hidden under her wrists, her venom isn't necessarily deadly but it causes intense pain. I've heard that it's enough to drive some people into shock." Raven then changes the image to show only the last of the group: a man with long, scarlet hair he has pulled into a braid. "This," Raven begins, "is Grannum Rudow. He's the leader of this little security team. He's probably the most dangerous out of the them being that he is a dropout from the Atlas Academy."

Kratos arches a brow at that. He had heard from Vernal and some of the other members of the tribe about the Huntsmen and Huntresses of this world: the warriors and peacekeepers that train at specialized schools to kill the creatures of Grimm and protect the general populace. Vernal had even told him that Raven had attended one of these schools in her youth. "We don't know much about him, though. Not even what his Semblance is." Raven then takes the Scroll from him and changes back to the image of the map. "The plan is simple. You and I will infiltrate the mine and take out their defenses along the outer wall. Then, we'll open the gates and our forces will rush in. Our main target is the vault," Raven zooms in a section of the facility that is against the mountain face. "The vault holds a very large amount of freshly mined Dust, along with a large amount of Lien as well."

"How well trained are the rest of the men there?" Kratos asks, his tone unchanged.

"Decent. Though I doubt they're what you'd call 'soldiers'. Most of them are just paid to keep the workers in line." Raven explains, Kratos arches a brow which Raven explains automatically.

"The workers are basically kept as slaves. They are roped into signing faulty contracts with the company and then are forced to work for free, even children." Kratos growls low in his throat as he runs the plan through his mind. In truth, the plan seems simple enough. The only real threats are the four members she pointed out. The only ones that truly interest him are the Huntsman and the Faunus woman. He has met the few Faunus in the tribe, finding them no more interesting than the human tribe members, but this one seems to be special. What really catches his interest about this one being that she will help enslave her own people, something Kratos finds to be unforgivable. The Huntsman, on the other hand, may prove to be a challenge. Kratos hasn't seen a Huntsman in action, not even Raven; another aspect of this task that draws Kratos' attention.

"When do we begin?" Kratos asks simply, satisfied with Raven's plan. Raven nods, a satisfied smile on her face. She walks back to her map table where she retrieves her red-patterned mask.

"We leave tonight."

* * *

Kratos secures the Greaves of Hermes over his boots before standing up from his cot. The tent Raven had gifted him is small and bare except for a small chest that sits at the end of his cot and the small, wooden rack for his clothes. Kratos leaves the tent and looks to the sky, the sun beginning to set. Kratos looks around as the rest of the Branwen Tribe is rushing back and forth as they prepare themselves and their vehicles.

"Hey Kratos!" Kratos turns to see Vernal approaching him, dressed in her usual apparel, save for some sparse armor on her arms, shoulders, and hips. "Raven said she wants to see you in her tent. She said to make sure you hurry." Kratos sneers at the young woman, not because of her actions but because Raven had sent her to 'make him hurry'.

"As she wishes," Kratos says bitterly as he makes his way towards Raven's tent, leaving Vernal behind. Kratos throws back the tent's entrance to find Raven fastening her sword to her belt. She turns when she sees him come in and seems to look him over from head to toe. Dressed in the same leather trousers and black shirt, Raven had sent a bronze breast plate to his tent as well, along with some other pieces of armor. However, he only opted to go without it, preferring to only bring the Golden Fleece and the Greeves of Hermes. The items would serve him better than any of Raven's trinkets.

"I see you like to dress light." Raven says and Kratos growls at her.

"Vernal said you sent for me, so here I am." Kratos crosses his arms over his chest as he waits for Raven's reason. Instead, she walks over to a rack set against the wall of her tent. She takes a longsword from the rack as well as a holstered revolver. She approaches Kratos with the weapons and offers them to him. Kratos arches a brow as he takes the weapons. Kratos examines the sword first, a simple, silver-bladed sword, light and razor-sharp. The revolver is also a well-crafted weapon, hefty, and capable of firing high-caliber rounds.

"I hope these will suffice," Raven says, her lips curled into a satisfied smile as she watches Kratos attach the sword and revolver to his belt. She also gifts him with a bandolier holding several cylinders, each one containing different types of Dust-rounds. Kratos nods in satisfaction as he secures the bandolier over his shoulder so that the cylinders are strapped over his chest.

"They will," Kratos says simply. Raven nods as she retrieves her helmet and moves to leave the tent, Kratos following behind her.

* * *

The drive to their destination didn't take as long as Kratos had thought, the vehicles being even more useful for transportation than he had expected. However, the party were still almost a mile away from the mine itself, the mountain itself in view from overtop the tree line.

Kratos steps out of the vehicle with Raven as she goes to the lead vehicle where Vernal is waiting for her instructions. The Spartan checks his weapons again before Raven returns, the white and red patterned helmet covering her face. "Alright, you remember the plan I presume?" Kratos growls at her question, as if the plan hadn't been simple enough: he and Raven would infiltrate the facility through an exposed sewer grate just outside the wall. Once inside they would find their way to the security room in the main building, disarm the defenses and destroy the controls. Raven would then signal Vernal who would then lead the main force through the front gate.

"Yes," the Spartan says simply. Raven only nods as she leads him into the over growth as the convoy continues down the dirt road.

The two travers the woods in silence, the forest completely devoid of activity. Kratos is not surprised by this, forests go quiet when predators go on the prowl; and the two of them are predators in deed. Kratos and Raven continue through the brush for some time before she leads them to a large creek, the water a sickly blackish green color, a putrid stench stemming from the rancid water. They ignore the stench as they follow the creek further into the woods till they come to a large, metal pipe that hangs over the opposite side of the creek, more of the rancid smelling sludge dripping from the pipe. "This is it." Raven says in a hushed tone. Kratos starts forward, not caring about the rancid creek before him when Raven places a hand on his shoulder. He looks at her for a moment as she steps forward. The Spartan watches in confusion as he notices that her hands start to glow with a faint, blue light. She raises her hands, the light growing brighter as ice springs up from the ground in front of her and spreads out to form an ice bridge over the creek to the pipe.

Raven looks at Kratos, searching for any kind surprise on the Spartan's face, but she finds none.

"Impressive," he says nonchalantly, having seen many kinds of magic in his own world. Kratos steps across the bridge and takes hold of the thick, metal bars of the pipe's grate. He growls in effort and he pulls the bars apart, the metal screeching in resistance as he pulls them far enough to make a gap for them to pass through.

"Impressive," Raven says, meaning to mock Kratos' earlier comment, but actually being impressed by Kratos' strength. The Spartan doesn't comment as he steps through the gap, the putrid stench assaulting him immediately. He doesn't look back as he makes his way through the tunnel, not even looking back to see if Raven is following him; though he is aware of her presence by the soft breathes he hears behind him along with her soft footsteps that echo through the pipe. After what seems like hours of following the pipe in complete darkness, Kratos sees a light shining in the distance. A grate in the top of the pipe reveals that the two have made it to the outside of the wall, and even better, that the sun has already started to set just over the horizon. Within less than three hours the sun would set fully and their time to attack would be upon them.

"Let's keep going," Raven urges and Kratos complies without comment. They continue further down the pipe, more ceiling grates appearing along the way. Neither Kratos or Raven chance looking up through the grates on the off chance that they would be seen, choosing to cling to the walls of the pipe as they pass by, but the sounds of abuse can be easily heard from their positions. Kratos growls low in his throat at the sounds of men and women crying out in pain as they whipped or beaten, the sounds reminding him of his past, images resurfacing after being reburied again and again; but Kratos does not stop. While begrudgingly, Kratos was given a task and he will see it through, his word as a Spartan and a warrior demand it.

Another hour of crawling through the pipe brings the two into a large, open room filled with a large network of pipes, containers, and other systems that Kratos does not recognize. But Kratos does notices that the room is not devoid of life as there are several workers, all of them Faunus, lulling about the large space as armed men in uniforms stand along the network of catwalks and bridges that weave through the room.

Kratos reaches to grip the handle of his sword, meaning to ready himself for an attack, but feels a hand tenderly grasp at his wrist before he can draw the weapon. He looks over his shoulder with an irritated glare as she stares back through her mask. "Let me handle this." She whispers through to him. Kratos grunts in defiance and he jerks his sword from the sheath and jumps from the pipe. He lands on the lowest floor of the chamber and charges forward, whipping his sword out and decapitating one of the guards before he can even utter a sound of warning to his fellow guards. The Spartan kills the three remaining guards on the lowest floor before anyone realizes that they're under attack.

"Intruders in the bottom level! The alarm, quickly!" a guard calls from the upper floors of the chamber as the rest rush down to try and subdue Kratos. The workers watch in confusion and fear as the guards surge down to meet the pale warrior, being thrown and shoved aside when caught in the way of the guards. As the guards make their way to the lowest floor they draw their weapons: collapsible batons with pronged tips that spark with electricity. Kratos notices this and realizes what Raven had said was too true: the men here are not soldiers but wardens, their true task being to keep the workers in line. Kratos growls as the first rushes to jab him with the electrified pole, only for it to be knocked from his hand by Kratos' sword stroke. With the back swing, Kratos bisects the guard and he falls to the ground with loud and short cry of pain. More guards rush the Spartan and he moves to meet them. In a flurry of sword strokes and thrusts the chamber becomes filled with the cries of pain and death as Kratos butchers the guards.

"What is this guy?" "How can one man do this?" "Where is the backup?" These and many more questions ring out through the chamber as the guards from the upper levels watch the pale warrior cut through their comrades with nothing but a sword. Kratos roars as he kills two more guards with plenty more on the way. Three more charge him at once, their batons sparking to life. The first is sent flying as Kratos delivers a kick to his torso, collapsing his ribcage and puncturing his lungs. The second swings at Kratos with his baton and the Spartan meets him stroke for stroke until Kratos thrusts his sword into the guard's chest. He cries out as Kratos steps forward to drive the sword in to the hilt and then jerks it out, the guard falling to the ground and dying seconds after. The last guard charges Kratos, still distracted by the second, and thrusts his own baton into Kratos' side. Kratos roars in pain as the electricity pulses through his body. The voltage should have been enough to incapacitate a normal person, but for Kratos it only served to enrage him further. He turns on the guard, rips the baton from his grasp before shoving the metal stick into the guard's chest, his body twitching sporadically as the trigger on the baton became stuck as it pulsed inside his body.

Kratos decapitates another guard that rushes him just as a loud sound echoes through the chamber. Even with his well-developed reflexes, Kratos only just manages to dodge as a Dust round sparks off the stone floor where he was standing only seconds before. He looks up to see one of the guards armed with a rifle and more joining along the third-floor catwalk. Without thinking, Kratos grabs one of the fallen guards and hoists the corpse in front of him as a shield; two dust rounds slamming into the corpse as Kratos drops his sword and draws his revolver. Kratos takes aim over the corpse's shoulder and fires, the rounds sparking around the riflemen and even killing one. As the remaining riflemen move to cover, Kratos drops the corpse, retrieves his sword, and bolts to the stairs.

Kratos meets more guards as he climbs up the system of rusted, metal staircases, but they only serve to either slow him down or make for human shields when he comes into view for the riflemen. Kratos even manages to kill another rifleman with his revolver before coming to the same floor as them. As Kratos comes up the last flight of stairs the riflemen let off another volley of bullets, causing Kratos take cover before firing the last shot from his current cylinder, the shot sparking against the wall behind the riflemen as they take aim again. Kratos quickly ejects the cylinder and replaces it. Without second thought, Kratos leaps from his cover and charges along the catwalk, his revolver raised as he lets off his own volley as his war cry echoes through the chamber. One rifleman is caught by a shot in the arm and goes down while the other takes cover. The volley is short lived but is enough to get Kratos close enough that he can attack with his sword.

The rifleman looks up in horror as Kratos brings his sword down to kill him, only for him to raise the rifle in defense and catch the blade along its barrel. The force behind the blade is too much for the man to hold and the sword comes down to burry itself into the man's shoulder. He cries out in pain as Kratos jerks the blade back. Before Kratos can finish him, the other wounded rifleman leans up with his own rifle and fires, the shot burning Kratos' cheek as it slips by his face by a hair's breathe. Kratos drops his expended revolver, grabs the rifle of the man before him, and fires back before the other can fire again, the shot piercing between his eyes. The man at Kratos' feet tries to crawl away as Kratos takes aim again and puts a shot in the back of his skull.

"Well, you can make an entrance, that is for sure." Raven's sarcastic tone sounds from behind him, her scarlet bladed sword in hand. Kratos turns to face her with an irritated sneer.

"At least I can dispatch the enemy while you skulk in the background." Kratos growls at her. Even through her mask, Kratos can almost see the look of fury she gives him for the insult. She swings her sword in a downward flick, blood flying from the blade and streaking along the grated floor of the catwalk before she directs the blade at Kratos threateningly.

"While you were charging in like a wild beast, I took care of the alarm system and the guards of the higher level. If I hadn't this place would have been overrun and we'd be dead or captured." Raven retorts. Kratos grunts at the explanation, not caring about her efforts. If more guards and shown up Kratos would have killed them regardless. While they would have him outnumbered and even outgunned, Kratos would still dominate in the tight quarters; where his strength would be the deciding factor.

"Do as you will, woman. Now, where do we go from here?" Kratos asks, almost demands even, as he retrieves and reloads his revolver before returning it and the sword to their holsters. Raven curses at Kratos as she sheathes her sword, but does not press the issue. While he is rash and a brute, Raven has never seen a warrior who could kill that many men without being wounded, even just minorly. Raven herself could have easily done it, given her abilities, but she is a special case.

"The exit to the surface is over there," she says, pointing to a door set on the far side of their current floor. Kratos and Raven make their way across, their boots echoing against the catwalk. As they approach the door, a figure steps into their path. Kratos' hand immediately goes to his sword, but he stops as the figure comes into view: a woman, an older one; a fact confirmed as she removes the ragged cowl from her head to reveal her wrinkled face and ashen hair. Kratos also notices the foxlike ears and ashen tail that drapes behind her.

"If you wish to live, I suggest you move," Raven suggests in a calm and falsely sociable tone, yet the old woman instead steps closer, ignoring Raven's threat. She looks back and forth between them before her gaze settles on Raven.

"You are Raven, of the Branwen Tribe?" the woman asks, her voice crackling like dried out wood.

"I am. And if you know that then you should know not to get in my way." Raven warns again, but the woman disregards her again.

"I know of you, yes. That is why I need your help." Kratos arches a brow at the old woman. "The manager of this mine is a cruel man. He takes the younger girls for his…own pleasures," Kratos can practically hear the tears that gather behind the old woman's eyes. "Just yesterday he took my own daughter and I have not seen her since. I fear that she is dead but I must know for sure. Please, if you find her for me, I'll give you the combination to the vault. I saw one of the guards put it in the other day and I've committed it to memory." Raven rolls her eyes at the woman before she steps forward.

"I'm not risking this entire operation on the word of an old woman, no offense. If you want to find your daughter, then find her yourself." Raven mercilessly shoulders the old woman aside as she makes her way for the exit, the old woman stumbling against the wall. Kratos steps by her, following Raven.

"Please! She is innocent in this. The only reason she is here is because I was forced into this place. She came to find me. Please…spare her…" the old woman cries, her last words muffled by her tears. _Pandora…forgive me…_ Kratos stops in his tracks, the old woman's words echoing to him, his past clawing at him. Raven turns to look at the Spartan quizzically.

"If your daughter lives, I will return her to you," Kratos says, his words almost a whisper as he says them over his shoulder. The woman looks up at the Spartan in disbelief, but her lips slowly curl up in a grateful smile.

"Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello Everyone! It has been a while but I'm glad to have something for you. First off, This is NOT the whole chapter, it's just what I have at the moment. I'm gonna try to have the full chapter up by the end of the month, don't hold me to that though. I want to thank you all for the comments and the favorites, it means a lot to me.**

Chapter 4

Kratos and Raven make their way up the dimly lit stairway into the building above. Raven, being the quieter of the two, took lead when met with guards, her silent and quick sword strokes making short work of any opposition. Kratos had to give the woman credit, her skills with a sword were impressive, despite her irritating nature.

Kratos had been raised to face enemies head on; to stab an enemy in the back without them knowing of your presence was dishonorable, but Kratos could admire the bandit leader's skill as she approached several guards through the twisting halls of the facility, completely silent, and striking them down without so much as a gasp for help. Raven finally leads him to the end of a hall with a single door. Raven cracks the door open to show the inside of a small building on the surface, the majority of the interior space taken over by machines and pipes, workers and guards flowing in between; the sounds of shouting and machines running almost deafening. Raven turns to Kratos as she closes the door.

"The room ahead is too crowded. Stay here and I'll clear it." Kratos eyes her like she is a fool.

"You think you can clear an entire building of people on your own?" Kratos growls. Her crimson eyes shift behind her mask, giving the impression that she is smiling.

"In truth, I could. But we're trying to be quiet. I'm going to give them a reason to evacuate the building. When you hear the alarm sound, open the door and I should be here when you do. We'll go from there." Kratos glares at her plan, the idea of sitting on the sidelines making him ache, but this is her plan. Kratos growls in agreement. Raven nods at his compliance; she turns back to the door, cracks it open, and waits for a moment before sliding out and closing the door behind her.

Kratos stays crouched by the door for what seems like an eternity, each heartbeat filling him with unease. He has no doubt in her ability, nor does he believe she will fail in the task, it is simply his inaction that is making him uneasy. Spartans did not sit back and let others fight for them, nor did they truly rely on anyone other than their fellow Spartans. This entire situation goes against all that he had been taught as a warrior, and it makes Kratos regret his deal with the bandit leader.

Just as Kratos' frustration was about to reach its peak, a loud explosion vibrates through the walls and floor, dust falling from the ceiling as the sounds of screeching metal and screaming people sound from the other side of the door. Kratos takes this as Raven's signal and throws open the door. Whatever Raven had done, it had caused the building to filled with smoke as people run towards the nearest exit. Both workers and guards run past the Spartan without even a second glance, their survival instincts at work. Kratos looks up as Raven appears, jumping down from one of the machines, giving him a quick wave to follow her before dashing off. Kratos quickly follows as she leads him to the other side of the facility, now abandoned.

Raven stops as they reach one of the exits and crouches while peering out the door. Kratos throws himself against the same wall, waiting for her signal to move. "this next part is going to be tricky. The security station is just across the courtyard. All we need to d-" Raven's words are cut off as the wall they are crouched by explodes above them, brick and mortar raining down on them. Kratos stays upright as the bricks pelt down on his back, tearing at his clothes. When they rubble stops falling Kratos looks to where Raven had been standing to she her throw a piece of wall away from her, keeping her kneeling position.

"Alright! We know you two are over there! If you're still alive, make this easy on us and come out!" Kratos arches a brow at the cocky tone coming from outside. He looks to Raven for instruction but she's not looking at him, instead she is peering from behind the wall again.

Outside Raven can see the last of the workers being herded out of the court yard, leaving two lone figures out in the open. One is a large, tattooed man wearing a combat vest, Ebon, carrying a cannon-mace, the barrel of the weapon still smoking from blasting the wall above them. The other is Grannum Rudow, dressed in leather gear with his crimson hair pulled back into a ponytail, two large blades secured to his hips. "What is your plan, woman?" Kratos hisses from behind her.

"Two are out in the open. One has a cannon-mace, Ebon, and the other, Grannum, has duel blades. I don't see the other two." Kratos growls at their situation. But a thought comes to him.

"I'll draw their attention. You go around and take down their defenses." Kratos gives Raven no chance to argue as he steps over the rubble and around her, revealing himself to their attackers, recognizing both of them from Raven's image at their camp. The warriors eye Kratos curiously, not sure what to make of the ashen skinned warrior.

"Well well, you are a strange looking fellow. I like your tattoo though, very intimidating, nine out of ten for sure," the red haired man, Grannum, says nonchalantly as his companion aims the large, spiked cannon towards Kratos. "So, I know you had someone else with you, did they leave you behind or are you guys trying to flank us?" Kratos says nothing, only glaring at the two mercenaries, his arms at his sides. Grannum smirks at Kratos' 'strong-but-silent' approach and takes a step towards the white and red skinned warrior. "Look, things will go a lot smoother for you guys if you just coop-" Grannum's words are cut off as Kratos draws his revolver with his left hand and fires at the red haired mercenary.

To Kratos' surprise, Grannum is able to leap out of the shot's path and land behind his companion several feet away. As soon as Grannum is out of Ebon's path, the former soldier fires his weapon, sending a bolt of purple dust energy towards the intruder. Instinctively, Kratos brings up the Golden Fleece to block the attack. Ebon and Grannum watch in shock as the blast is absorbed on contact, the glowing energy then flowing down into Kratos' empty palm as he returns the blast with a heavy throw. Ebon instinctively brings his weapon up block but is knocked off his feet from the blast, being thrown several feet before collapsing on the ground. Grannum watches the even with wide eyes as his companion goes sailing by him. He turns back to Kratos with a new found respect for the intruder.

"That's a cool semblance you have there." Kratos says nothing as he draws his sword and the wings of his greaves unfurl.


End file.
